Reviews

I had wondered if you would incorparate JK's "Dumbledore is gay" crap in your story. Strangly, I don't seem to mind the way you did it at all. It is done in decent taste and that's what matters. I will always belive that JK did that to appease the rabid "fangirl" element of HP fanfiction and nothing else, but once again, I am impressed that you did it in such a way, as not only to make it readable, but beliveable.

One trap I hope you don't fall in is nice Snape. I don't care what JK Rowland says, haveing Snape turn into some tragic hero was stupid.

Just think, would any spy worth his salt treat the people he is spying on with such contempt? To be a spy you treat the side you are spying on with respect, no matter how bad it is.

My exact thoughts on Snape are as follows. Snape, told Voldemort the part of the prophesy he heard, knowing full well that James and Lilly would be a target. However, I think that what Snape wanted was for Lilly to be spared, and I think Voldemort would of done just that if she had not insisted. So he kills Lilly, and now Snape is mad becuase he can't have what he wants, so he spies for Dumbledore. Had Lilly of lived I fully belive Snape would of gone as far as to keep her captive just so he could be near her.

Ok, enough ranting.

This chapter is outstanding as always and I like the way the brotherhood handled Dumbledore. I also like the fact that they have to activly keep themselves from manipulating Harry. So much stuff revolves around Harry that any powerful person would have this problem.

I also love that although happy to see Dumbledore, Sirus wasn't pleased that he was just now seeing him. I always questioned in the book why Sirus seemed to do what Dumbles said without complaint. doesn't make a lot of sense.

Then again, I am firmly of the opinion that whoever wrote books 1-4 didn't write books 5-7. I know that seems strange, but it is a very different Harry in those books....a lazy, stupid one in 5-7.

I'll stop now, since I started rambling. Hopefully, I can put all that past me and leave a decent review for the next chapter.

That was very intresting, but very funny. While I was reading it I couldn't help but imagine dumbles sitting there with fear in his eyes. and dumbles conversation with his old friend might have helped in the long run especally when his old friend compaired their similar actions. but will snape listen to dumbles or will he try to see for himself and pay for it,and on that subject will he get a glimpse of rons' mind and if he does what will he find there. and maybe sirius can finally become the godfather he has always wanted to be towards harry. and one last question a lot will change this year like harry missing the train, The situation with ginny and the diary, Hermione and her crush on Lockheart, And the whole thing about the chamber of secrets my question is will any of it happen the same way.

Author's response

Ginny will still get the diary, and will still write in it. Hermione will not have a crush on Lockhart. Snape will still use Legilimancy.

All the little details of this come together so nicely to make a very interesting story. Harry's reaction was perfect and probably one of the few that could gain a bit of respect from a man like Scorpion seems.

I am slightly annoyed that you brought JK's little bombshell into this though. I don't mind character's being gay but Dumbles being gay brings even more sinister possible reasons for his actions. Was it just Snape's feelings for Lily that convinced Dumbles. With his relationship with Grindewald and then his desire to redeem him and the same desire to redeem Riddle, Snape and Malfoy. The whole thing just leads into so many bad places that I just don't want to think about.

Author's response

the only effects the 'bombshell' had on the scene was mentioning them as lovers once, and that Dumbledore had repressed that side of his nature. The rest would have read as it was.

I still wonder why Snape's stalking Lily made Dumbledore think Snape fully reliable, evne if he partially turned out that way.

Well, I didn't think Dumbledore's homosexuality added anything to the story, and think it could have gone without the mention. Ditto for JKR's postscript.

The last chapter made it clear that the members of the brotherhood aren't super-duper powerful, merely in Dumbledore's and Voldemort's league, or even below. So I choose to believe that the three representatives here didn't actually apparate through the Hogwarts wards, but instead used some sneaky variation of invisibility or the like.

Snape seemed quite reasonable here, prepared to change his behaviour. I guess seeing Dumbledore cowed had a lot of impact on him. Will it last, I wonder?

Interesting that you're really going to embed the Hallows into the story!

I'm glad Harry is continuing his correspondence with 'the girl'. I do hope that Hermione is able to keep up with Harry, and that in this story they manage to be true equals.

Many of your stories have featured brotherhoods and such of men who have proved to be more powerful than Harry, helping him on his way. Have you ever had a story which had Harry join them at the end of the tale, to live happily ever after? In reading that sentence about 'the girl' I just had a glimpse of a possibility of Harry and Hermione, together, becoming immortal (NOT by becoming vampires, thank you very much :-)) and joining the brotherhood, continuing to keep them balanced and involved where necessary in the (overly more complex) outside world. Maybe Harry could make a horcrux when he finally kills Voldemort. Although the idea of losing part of one's soul is creepy ... has Jason or Osiris covered what change results to one's personality from fashioning a horcrux, or is it negligible when only in two parts?

Author's response

I'm trying to follow canon fairly closely. We'll see how it goes. As for Harry and whomever (he and Hermione will playdate, but they are only 13), maybe Harry can become part of the brotherhood and the girl the vampire , that is how vampires got started, within the story.

Jason, in regular life, was about as powerful as say Mcgonagall or Hermione. After 3300 years, his power has slowly grown to the DumVoldie level. Tutmoses was a shade under that level 5400 years ago. Osiris was at or a tad above if possible (say Merlin level) 6600 years ago, the First Acolyte and Cobra at that level 6000 years ago. Their power has increased accordingly. Not to 'super-Harry' levels, but still slightly more powerful.

Some members of the Brotherhood no doubt have gotten sloppy over the millenia. The ones we see have not. They keep working at their magic. They can get around most wards if they really want to. If house elves can by-pass Hogwarts wards, Osiris and Tutmoses certainly can (Jason can't without their help).

As for Scorpion, he might have been a bit stronger than McGonagall in life, and is about 400 years older than Jason. He's in the story to remind readers that the Brotherhood might be 'the good guys' but they aren't always good.

An interesting story. I normally don't care for the 'immensely powerful' Harry fics, nor the 'the gods will train you' stories, but here you've managed to pique my interest. The premise is one I am well familiar with, as my siblings and I grew up in a similar situation as did Harry.

That Ron lost Harry's letter is unfortunate, but you've explained it well, especially taking into consideration Ron's cannon personality. He's lazy and forgetful. Hopefully it won't go into the fire. If he finds it and replies, that particular situation can be salvaged.

Hermione is another story. Being an H/Hr shipper, I generally agree with most fics that pair them. (there are some poorly done stories that are just unreadable, regardless the ship, and Smut without a plot is just stupid.) She will provide the human touch Harry needs, for now.

Harry's response to 'the master of painful arts', is brilliantly done! a shoot to the pills is probably the very last thins he expected.

That Dumbledore visits Grindelwald is a nice segue and 'history' lesson.

I have placed this on my 'alerts' list and hope to read more soon. Alorkin

Author's response

The letter is gone. Ron will never quite figure things out.

Now of course these 'gods' are anything but. Others may of course disagree, but I refuse to believe the best 'immortality' (or at least v. long-lived creatures/people)the Potterverse has to offer is a coy sphinx and a vampire named 'Sanguini'

And no, Scorpion expected to frighten Harry, who would be either cowering or vindictive. Harry responded as Scorpion himself would have, and so earned respect.

I always knew that you didn't need a two by four to get Albus' attention, just drill a hole into his subconscious and fill 'er up...

Scorpion's attitude adjustment was pure muggleborn, I doubt a pureblood would have thought of it, very well done.

Great story Doc, though you may get some flack for the slash references, carry on.

Author's response

I have gotten some, but believe me, I've been flamed far far worse over the last 4 1/2 years. As for Scorpion, he was supposed to appear just in this chapter, but I find it useful to have an amoral ally who really likes and respects Harry around. Very useful so far, having him 'discuss' situations with two characters (one 'off-screen' one mostly 'off-screen', so I can keep this 'R' instead of NC-17 (as a grad student, the guy in the office next to me was doing his dissertation on Roman and medieval torture; trust me, add in magic, and we can get to NC-17 real quick). I'm almost hoping for having a good excuse for Snape to slip up badly. . . .

I'm enjoying this story. Just one question, when you talk about the brotherhood as a solidity, do you mean a sodality? From my memories of Anthro 101, that's the word that was used for Societies like Native American Warrior Societies that was the example.